`<div>` cannot appear as a descendant of `<p>`

html

html-nesting-rules

react-components

material-ui

byAnton Shumikhin·Jan 5, 2025

Here's the clincher: <p> tags strictly cannot enclose block-level elements, such as <div>. The remedy involves using a <div> or a <span> for enclosing inline contents. Check this fixed snippet:

<div>Text with a <span>inline morsel</span>.</div>

Revamp CSS styling to echo the <p> tag format if necessary.

Clarifying HTML nesting rules

When HTML fails to render your page correctly, improper nesting could be at fault. You might be placing block-level elements like <div> within a <p> tag, which only allows text and inline elements. For the lack of a better joke, it's kind of like fitting an elephant into a taxi cab—it breaks all ride-sharing rules.

Dealing with React: React-ing to our mistake

This issue often surfaces in React.js applications, especially when unknowingly nesting components that render as <div> tags within <p> tags. For example, utilizing the Material UI’s Typography component without correct setup can escalate this problem.

The fix? Assign an inline element like span to the component attribute while nesting the Typography component within another text element:

<Typography component="span" variant="body1">
  Your text <--(not just lorem ipsum!)
</Typography>

This simple yet elegant solution marries the Typography component with <p> without breaking any HTML laws concerning block-level irregularities.

Adjusting Material UI components: Tweaking things up!

A word of caution when adjusting Material UI components—always read the manual. Shaking up the component or variant attributes will impact styling and structural layout. The variant might just be the makeup on our <p>, but it's the component that gets engraved into the DOM.

Facing trouble? Doctor up your check-up with document.querySelectorAll to identify improper nesting and resort to conditional rendering to repurpose a <div> as the ideal choice.

Examining components: Playing detective

Library components such as ReactTooltip, or any custom components lurking in your code, have a knack to render as a <div>, causing structural blooper. It's time to pop the component's hood and tinker with its innards to ensure HTML structural integrity. If that's beyond your reach, don't worry, the library maintenance team has your back—just flag the issue or wait up for an update.

Better design practices: Be a clean coder

Take a step back and revisit your design choices. Use the <div> tag guardedly as containers and apply <p>, <span>, or other inline elements generously for text. Chart up your component tree keeping in view the HTML standards, preempting these hitches.

Debug and resolve like a pro

To hunt down nest violations in your HTML:

Get comfortable with browser's developer tools.
Employ JavaScript’s document.querySelectorAll('p div') function to zone in where <div> elements are hiding within <p> tags.

Once you've tracked down the issue, swap out the <div> with a semantic inline unit such as <span> or <em>.

Packages that provide UI components often offer props like as or root to tailor the underlying element. Always keep guard of these options.

Pitfalls and how to leap over them

Block these common traps in your HTML and React trails:

Console warnings: Don't ignore them; they're serving you essential breadcrumbs.
Layout control: Reserve <p> tags for text—not for building your page's construction blueprint.
Invisible renderings: No visual errors doesn't always imply a clean sheet. Improper structuring can cripple accessibility or SEO.